114 STAT. 622 PUBLIC LAW 106–250—JULY 27, 2000

Public Law 106–250

106th Congress

An Act

To authorize a gold medal to be presented on behalf of the Congress to Pope

John Paul II in recognition of his many and enduring contributions to peace

and religious understanding, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pope John Paul II Congressional

Gold Medal Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that Pope John Paul II—

(1) is the spiritual leader of more than one billion Catholic

Christians around the world and millions of Catholic Christians

in America and has led the Catholic Church into its third

millennium;

(2) is recognized in the United States and abroad as a

preeminent moral authority;

(3) has dedicated his Pontificate to the freedom and dignity

of every individual human being and tirelessly traveled to

the far reaches of the globe as an exemplar of faith;

(4) has brought hope to millions of people all over the

world oppressed by poverty, hunger, illness, and despair;

(5) transcending temporal politics, has used his moral

authority to hasten the fall of godless totalitarian regimes,

symbolized in the collapse of the Berlin wall;

(6) has promoted the inner peace of man as well as peace

among mankind through his faith-inspired defense of justice;

and

(7) has thrown open the doors of the Catholic Church,

reconciling differences within Christendom as well as reaching

out to the world’s other great religions.

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House

of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate

shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on

behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to

Pope John Paul II in recognition of his many and enduring contributions to peace and religious understanding.

(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the presentation

referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter

in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal

Pope John Paul

II Congressional

Gold Medal Act.

31 USC 5111

note.

July 27, 2000

[H.R. 3544]

PUBLIC LAW 106–250—JULY 27, 2000 114 STAT. 623

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3544:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000):

May 23, considered and passed House.

July 13, considered and passed Senate.

Æ

with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined

by the Secretary.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the

gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations

as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient to cover

the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery,

overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals

for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is hereby

authorized to be charged against the Numismatic Public Enterprise

Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of

the medal authorized by this Act.

(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sales of

duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in the

Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund.

Approved July 27, 2000.